Patch 0.4, Fate of the Vaal, doesn’t feel like a normal “here’s some balance notes” drop. It feels like an invitation to go get punched in the mouth for better loot. If you’ve been stockpiling PoE 2 Currency for a gear pivot, this is the kind of update that actually makes you spend it, because the chase items aren’t just falling out of random mobs. Atziri’s back, and the whole vibe is: show up, do the fight, earn the uniques.

Atziri’s Boss Loot Feels Earned

The big difference with these drops is you can’t shortcut them with a lucky orb click. You want the boss toys, you run the boss. Atziri’s Contempt is the obvious “wait, what” item when you first read it, since it pushes hybrid damage in a way spear builds have been begging for. Then you’ve got Atziri’s Rule, which messes with your comfort zone by making spells cost Life. Sounds like a meme until you picture the damage scaling and realise why people will build around it anyway. And yes, Drillneck showing up again is a crowd-pleaser, especially with the new pierce-and-return behavior that screams map clear.

Defenses, Socket Weirdness, and Risky Power

Defensive players aren’t left out. Atziri’s Step is still that clean evasion pick that makes your character feel less like paper when hits start chaining. But the real conversation starter is Atziri’s Splendour. Locking it to Soul Cores only is such a strange restriction that it’s basically daring you to break it. You’ll see folks testing it in town, swapping cores, trying to force a “best of all worlds” setup. The other spicy piece is Flesh Crucible. A random Keystone is the kind of temptation that ruins an evening in a good way, because the downside can absolutely brick your setup if you get greedy.

Talismans That Actually Change How You Play

The new Talismans aren’t just stat sticks, and that’s the point. Fury of the King is going to end up on a lot of Bear Druids because converting physical to fire simplifies gearing, and the flammability angle is hard to ignore. The Flesh Poppet is more chaotic, in a “this might be insane” way—copying enemy modifiers when you shapeshift means your best moments will feel stolen, literally. And if you’re leaning into Rage loops, Amor Mandragora turning spending Rage into Druidic Prowess gives you a reason to keep pushing instead of sitting safe.

Quality-of-Life Loot and the Real Grind

Even the oddball stuff has a purpose. Lavianga’s Spirits reads like a joke at first because you can’t drink it, but the always-on effect can smooth out mana problems in a way that’s hard to unsee once you try it. This patch is basically telling you to pick a target, commit to farming, and accept that you’ll respec a few times along the way. If you’re going to do that, it helps to have a plan for trading and upgrades, and having u4gm poe2 in mind makes the whole loop feel less painful when the drops don’t cooperate.